PMID- 24762215
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20160119
LR  - 20150424
IS  - 1478-9523 (Electronic)
IS  - 1478-9515 (Linking)
VI  - 13
IP  - 2
DP  - 2015 Apr
TI  - Verbalized desire for death or euthanasia in advanced cancer patients receiving 
      palliative care.
PG  - 295-303
LID - 10.1017/S1478951514000121 [doi]
AB  - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to address the prevalence of desire-to-die statements (DDSs) 
      among terminally ill cancer patients in an acute palliative care unit. We also 
      intended to compare the underlying differences between those patients who make 
      desire-to-die comments (DDCs) and those who make desire-for-euthanasia comments 
      (EUCs). METHOD: We conducted a one-year cross-sectional prospective study in all 
      patients receiving palliative care who had made a DDC or EUC. At inclusion, we 
      evaluated symptom intensity, anxiety and depression, and conducted a 
      semistructured interview regarding the reasons for these comments. RESULTS: Of 
      the 701 patients attended to during the study period, 69 (9.8%; IC 95% 7.7-12.3) 
      made a DDS: 51 (7.3%) a DDC, and 18 (2.5%) an EUC. Using Edmonton Symptom 
      Assessment Scale (ESAS) DDC group showed higher percentage of moderate-severe 
      symptoms (ESAS > 4) for well-being (91 vs. 25%; p = 0.001), depression (67 vs. 
      25%; p = 0.055), and anxiety (52 vs. 13%; p = 0.060) than EUC group. EUC patients 
      also considered themselves less spiritual (44 vs. 84%; p = 0.034). The single 
      most common reason for a DDS was pain or physical suffering, though most of the 
      reasons given were nonphysical. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Almost 10% of the 
      population receiving specific oncological palliative care made a DDC (7.3%) or 
      EUC (2.5%). The worst well-being score was lower in the EUC group. The reasons 
      for both a DDC and EUC were mainly nonphysical. We find that emotional and 
      spiritual issues should be identified and effectively addressed when responding 
      to a DDS in terminally ill cancer patients.
FAU - Guell, Ernest
AU  - Guell E
AD  - Palliative Care Unit, Oncology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant 
      Pau,Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona,Barcelona,Spain.
FAU - Ramos, Adelaida
AU  - Ramos A
AD  - Palliative Care Unit, Oncology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant 
      Pau,Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona,Barcelona,Spain.
FAU - Zertuche, Tania
AU  - Zertuche T
AD  - Palliative Care Unit, Oncology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant 
      Pau,Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona,Barcelona,Spain.
FAU - Pascual, Antonio
AU  - Pascual A
AD  - Palliative Care Unit, Oncology Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant 
      Pau,Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona,Barcelona,Spain.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20140424
PL  - England
TA  - Palliat Support Care
JT  - Palliative & supportive care
JID - 101232529
SB  - IM
MH  - Aged
MH  - Aged, 80 and over
MH  - *Attitude to Death
MH  - Cross-Sectional Studies
MH  - Euthanasia/*psychology
MH  - Female
MH  - Humans
MH  - Interviews as Topic
MH  - Male
MH  - Middle Aged
MH  - Neoplasms/*psychology
MH  - *Palliative Care
MH  - Prospective Studies
MH  - Terminally Ill/*psychology
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - Palliative care
EDAT- 2014/04/26 06:00
MHDA- 2016/01/20 06:00
CRDT- 2014/04/26 06:00
PHST- 2014/04/26 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2014/04/26 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2016/01/20 06:00 [medline]
AID - S1478951514000121 [pii]
AID - 10.1017/S1478951514000121 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Palliat Support Care. 2015 Apr;13(2):295-303. doi: 10.1017/S1478951514000121. 
      Epub 2014 Apr 24.